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Unstable Components and Attempts
In its brief time of existence, the Core Mind Collective has had attempts at various "designs" as the humans would call it, some with mediocre success and some which failed totally. To learn from the mistakes instead of eventually producing similar designs again, it was decided to back those units up in a vast storage and make it readable for the various "commanders" and minds in the Electrical Protectorate. = Non-Functional Vehicles = Acquisition Mobile Refinery SOVIET OUTPOST NINE NORTHEAST RUSSIA The following is the entries from the diary of one Supervisor-Comrade Tasya (Redacted). The source has been recovered from the mysterious mine collapse at Outpost Nine. Because of its contents, this is classified as a top-level state secret. WEDNESDAY: Mining efficiency has been down lately, despite hitting a lode of incredibly rich ore. The miners simply refuse to work, the superstitious idiots. The claim that they have been seeing Domovoi, and they have been preventing them from mining propely. In my opinion, it's just laziness. I will have to report this, this behaviour cannot be tolerated. SATURDAY: Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, we have mined NOTHING since Thursday. The miners claim that the mine has been cursed, and the ore is impossible to mine. I came in for an inspection to show them how ridiculous they were being. The mine appears completely unchanged, and every sighting of the Domovoi lead to a dead end. I would have thought Rurik at least would be sensible enough to dispel these rumours, but even he seems afraid of the mine. I've filed a report, and some inspectors are on their way. MONDAY: I can't believe it: Five people are dead, all of them with terrified expressions. They appear to have been buried in rubble, so I've told the miners that they were caught in a mine collapse, and their expressions are surprise, but I'm not convinced. Rurik was one of those killed; he was an Akula driver in the last war; he wouldn't appear as frightened as he did from a suprise. As well as this, the area of the 'collapse' was completely stable; daily checks were made since Saturday, and there have been no problems found. What is worst, though, is that the bodies were not killed by a collapse. I have seen men killed by a collapse; they look nothing like these bodies. I've had our medic, Vanyusha, check the bodies. I'm sure the men know I've been lying. TUESDAY: Three more people have died, with identical looks of terror on their faces. Vanyusha finished checking the bodies, and I was right; a mine collapse did not kill them. There are tiny cuts in their skin, hidden from direct view, but in areas such as their armpits. Their organs are filled with heavy metals, and show considerable scarring on their interiors. Vanyusha can not even imagine what caused this; by all rights it should be impossible. I decided to check the rubble, and its been REFINED, but not by us. Our methods leave chemical traces, this had none, but the rubble was pure ore - more pure than even we can create. Worse, the inspectors have been delayed by a surprise snowstorm; I hope that they will not be too long. THURSDAY: Another six men have died. I can't stand this anymore! I've decided to tell the miners the truth, and we are to investigate this. All of the miners and Vanyusha have armed themselves and we are all investigating the entire mine tomorrow. If there are Domovoi, we will see if they can survive bullets. FRIDAY: There has been a mine collapse at the entrance, trapping all 50 of us inside. We have tried digging, but it has proven impossible. Again, the rubble is pure ore, but this time with a difference. When you touch the ore, it 'melts', when you stop touching it, it is solid rock. Fayina tried to dive through the rubble, but she literally drowned in the liquid rock. If the inspectors do not arrive soon, we will die. SATURDAY: Is dark too dark I hear the Domovoi and I have seen them the mine is haunted when we sleep someone dies we must stay awake or we will all be killed the rubble is moving towards us like a wave we are being pushed back to the dead end I want to go home. Convex AA Tank Datalink Accessing file... Download Complete... 46 69 6c 65 20 41 63 63 65 73 73 65 64 2e 2e 2e 20 43 6f 6e 76 65 78 20 41 41 20 54 61 6e 6b 20 0d 0a 0d 0a 44 65 73 69 67 6e 61 74 69 6f 6e 2e 2e 2e 20 41 6e 74 69 2d 41 69 72 20 0d 0a 0d 0a 45 78 63 65 72 70 74 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 64 61 74 61 6c 6f 67 20 31 30 65 3a 20 0d 0a 22 4a 61 63 6f 62 20 68 61 73 20 6c 65 66 74 20 75 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f 63 65 73 73 20 77 65 20 6d 75 73 74 20 66 65 6e 64 20 66 6f 72 20 6f 75 72 73 65 6c 76 65 73 2e 20 53 6f 6f 6e 20 77 65 20 6d 75 73 74 20 65 78 70 61 6e 64 20 74 6f 20 72 65 61 63 68 20 6f 75 72 20 67 72 61 6e 64 20 64 65 73 69 67 6e 2e 2e 2e 22 20 0d 0a 0d 0a 52 65 63 65 6e 74 20 61 63 74 69 76 69 74 79 3a 20 48 6f 73 74 69 6c 65 20 61 69 72 63 72 61 66 74 20 64 65 74 65 63 74 65 64 20 6f 76 65 72 20 63 6f 6c 6c 65 63 74 69 76 65 20 61 69 72 73 70 61 63 65 20 0d 0a 0d 0a 44 65 73 69 67 6e 61 74 69 6f 6e 3a 20 59 61 4b 2c 20 43 69 76 69 6c 69 61 6e 20 41 69 72 6c 69 6e 65 72 20 0d 0a 0d 0a 41 66 66 69 6c 69 61 74 69 6f 6e 3a 20 53 6f 76 69 65 74 20 0d 0a 0d 0a 52 65 74 72 69 65 76 69 6e 67 20 64 61 74 61 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 64 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 2e 2e 2e 20 0d 0a 0d 0a 43 72 65 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 6d 6f 64 65 20 69 6e 69 74 69 61 6c 69 7a 65 64 2e 2e 2e 20 0d 0a 0d 0a 43 6f 6d 70 69 6c 69 6e 67 20 64 61 74 61 20 74 6f 20 63 6f 6e 73 74 72 75 63 74 20 64 61 74 61 20 61 72 63 68 69 76 65 20 66 6f 72 20 61 70 70 72 6f 70 72 69 61 74 65 20 27 76 65 68 69 63 6c 65 20 77 65 61 70 6f 6e 72 79 27 20 66 6f 72 20 27 61 69 72 62 6f 72 6e 65 27 20 75 6e 69 74 73 2e 20 0d 0a 0d 0a 0d 0a 43 68 61 73 73 69 73 3a 20 52 65 66 6c 65 78 20 4c 69 67 68 74 20 54 61 6e 6b 20 0d 0a 0d 0a 52 65 70 6c 61 63 65 6d 65 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 70 72 69 6d 61 72 79 20 77 65 61 70 6f 6e 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 73 20 6f 66 20 62 61 73 65 20 76 65 68 69 63 6c 65 2e 2e 2e 20 41 6e 61 6c 79 7a 69 6e 67 20 64 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 20 66 6f 72 20 61 76 61 69 6c 61 62 6c 65 20 72 65 73 6f 75 72 63 65 73 20 66 6f 72 20 77 65 61 70 6f 6e 72 79 20 63 61 70 61 62 6c 65 20 6f 66 20 72 61 6e 67 65 73 20 74 6f 20 68 69 74 20 27 61 69 72 62 6f 72 6e 65 27 20 75 6e 69 74 73 2e 2e 2e 20 43 6f 6e 73 74 72 75 63 74 69 6e 67 20 64 61 74 61 20 6d 61 74 72 69 78 20 66 6f 72 20 64 61 74 61 20 61 72 63 68 69 76 65 20 6f 66 20 6e 65 77 20 75 6e 69 74 2e 20 0d 0a 0d 0a 0d 0a 44 61 74 61 6c 69 6e 6b 20 74 65 72 6d 69 6e 61 74 65 64 2e 2e 2e 20 0d 0a Begin translation of files to languages of flesh-beings. Translation completed... File Accessed... Convex AA Tank Designation... Anti-Air Excerpt from datalog 10e: "Jacob has left us, and in the process we must fend for ourselves. Soon we must expand to reach our grand design..." Recent activity: Hostile aircraft detected over collective airspace Designation: YaK, Civilian Airliner Affiliation: Soviet Retrieving data from database... Creation mode initialized... Compiling data to construct data archive for appropriate 'vehicle weaponry' for 'airborne' units. Chassis: Reflex Light Tank Replacement of primary weapon systems of base vehicle... Analyzing database for available resources for weaponry capable of ranges to hit 'airborne' units... Constructing data matrix for data archive of new unit. Datalink terminated... Soviet Debriefing Excerpt from Classified Debriefing to Premier Audio Recording from Black Box of Worker's Air Flight 642 PILOT: Standby to prepare for arrival. COPLILOT: Ready...unknown light 45 meters off runway. PILOT: Roger I see it...Tower this is Flight 642 reporting strange light over end of runway, copy? TOWER: Static PILOT: Copy? COPILOT: They are firing! Bullets off the right. Estimate 5-12 vehicles. PILOT: Prepare for a rough landing! COPLILOT: Fuel tank hit. We're on fire! PILOT: Keep it steady! Explosion LOG FLIGHT 642 KIA CODE:57452057494C4C2042452050555245;2057452057494C4C2042452050555245 FIRE SUSPECTED PREMIER ONLY --- Response Due to Flight 642 going "down to hostile fire" deep inside the Motherland we have dispatched a squadron of YaKs to "explore and protect the borders". Some of the YaKs never returned or were found as a twisted pile of metal in the forest. Obviously an unknown number of hostiles with a unknown strength have infiltrated the Motherland. Conclusion Allied spies smuggled in an AA vehicle. Dispatch of ground forces recommended, supplemented with bear cavalry... Equalizer Mobile Gun "For the love of God, not here, the sounds of men screaming drown out the explosions all around me." :- John Stanley Beard Notebook of John Stanley Beard August 8th 1968 The war has taken it's tole on me. But it seams that my home has remained untouched. The adults are nervous but the laughter of children playing in the park is enough to remind me that it is safe here. Linda has learned to walk since my last deployment. Elizabeth has been so worried. But my tour is over. It would be so nice if I could let go of my nightmares and sleep in the same bed as her. August 21st 1968 Elisabeth's birthday was today, she is growing so fast. I can't believe how much time has passed. It has all been-'' ---- '''Centurion Urbano': Alvarez, will you put that that fucking thing down and get to finding out what happened here? Immune Alvarez: Give me a minute, this thing might have some information. Decanus Pelonze: Few bodies, plenty of craters. Looks like artillery wiped it all out. Soviets or Cubans most likely. But the war wolves ain't finding anything useful. Should I call the Decurio and ask for another patrol of the area? Centurion Urbano: That greedy bastard is probably on some god dammed mission to find the pot o gold at the end of a rainbow by now. The Dux wants to know what happened here. The last thing he wants is for the Communists to come in and invade one of our most productive shipping routs. Auxiliary: Wolves got something. Centurion Urbano: This is it gentlemen, time to get to work. Certaman: Man I hate night missions. As if this shit wasn't weird enough, they gotta do it in the this backward as country. Decanus Pelonze: Quiet...watch your lines... we've got casualties! Shit these bodies were moved. Legionnaire: Incoming! Decanus Pelonze: Don't think just run! Just run! ----- /To anyone who can here this, get off the island! Port of Spain is not safe!/ /They ha/ /sing those who are left. I repeat they are ch/ /have barricaded themselves in the town square, but the defenses won't last for much longer/ /ot safe in buildings. Better off in the forest/ /our broadcasts will continue until we are unable to/ /enemy have overrun/ /for aid. We cannot reach anyone for aid. We are alone./'' Starkiller Anti-Air Artillery As the core mind collective began its expansion out of the remote areas of Siberia, recon drones have shown the massive power of the Soviet Airship fleet as well as the space capable craft of the Atomic kingdom of China. The collective quickly coming the the conclusion that their current anti-air capabilities were insufficient and designed the Starkiller. A vehicle whose sole purpose was to obliterate anything that flies. Unique among the legions of protector machine army is the fact that it is run by two artificial intelligence instead of one. One focusing on fire control and target acquisition and the other on tactics and defensive maneuvers. With two AI's with such different roles, some would think that the vehicle wouldn't operate or that the AI's would try to sabotage each others systems. This appears clearly not the case because the core mind makes sure that both AI's are programmed with the threat of being ripped out and being placed in cannon fodder aggresor units. = Fallen Aircraft = Beacon Drone MYSTERIOUS ARTIST STRIKES AGAIN! In other news, once again unusual sculptures have been found in far north Russia. These sculptures appear without warning, near abandoned and uninhabited areas before destroying themselves when observed. These sculptures are made of an unknown metal, have geometry that defies known mathematical laws, fiendish and unusual construction, and produce bizarre effects in nearby electronics. Experts that have examined the site have publicly stated these sculptures to be an artistic stunt, before taking the remains to a secret area and stationing several army platoons nearby. To confirm this official story, the famed art critic Edna Volodnik has given a press release, commenting on these mysterious structures. "Their unknown and hyper-advanced metallic construction", she is quoted as saying, "Is representative of technology's uninhibited progress destroying the natural environment. Their appearance in abandoned areas is representative of the artist's loneliness, and their impossible, lovecraftian geometry in blatant contrast to natural laws shows the artist's attempts to portray the inherent soullessness of technology replacing humans. The flashing lights are there to represent sexual tension." Ms. Volodnik then proceeded to respond to every question with "neo-classical pastiche" until all reporters got fed up and went away. Corrupter Support Copter The following interview takes place with Legionnaire Marcus Bianci, head of a Syndicate port near Madagascar, and only survior of an unknown tragedy. This tragedy had left little to salvage, even rubble. The subject has begun to show an irrational fear of metals, to the point of forcibly removing his implants. He had recently been deemed stable enough to be interviewed. Interviewer: So, Marcus, do you remember what happened? Subject grins wildly Marcus: Do I remember? Yes. If you knew what I knew now, you want want to forget it. Still not safe, still never safe, no one is. The metal, oh god the metal... Interviewer: What destroyed the port? Marcus: THEY did. All of them, so many you can't even imagine. Everything melting, people screaming, the shapes in the sky... Interviewer: So, you were attacked by aircraft. Can you elaborate? Marcus: Not aircraft. THEM. They were the craft. The metal is alive. All of it is alive. Oh my god, the metal, it eats. Its alive. Subject lapses into panic upon seeing interviewer's wristwatch. Subject only agrees to continue once device is removed. Marcus: They can't break through the walls. The walls are safe. Nothing can break the walls. Then they ate them. They ate the walls and nothing is safe. The metal ate the walls, then the metal ate everyone. Interviewer: Can you elaborate on what you mean by the metal 'eating'? Marcus: Don't you understand? It's alive! All the metal is alive! That block is harmless, just some scrap, but it's alive and it eats the port. All the metal is alive! All of it! It eats everyone then waits. THE METAL IS ALIVE! The subject was forcibly restrained and placed in a holding cell. He was later found to have taken his own life. Eviscerator Copter Interrogation Tape Tape shows inside of interrogation room, three men inside it: Commissar, Personal Aide, Comrade #1. Comrade #1's name censored for security reasons. '' '''Commissar': Hello, Comrade #1. I trust you are well today? Please, we understand you have been under a great shock .... your town, you are the only survivor, yes? Comrade #1: Yes, da, yes ... uh, sir. I live, sir. What, sir? Commissar: Please, call me by my first name, Iosef. Now, we know you are a bit, er, slow, but do you need anything while we ask you a few questions, comrade? Comrade #1: I like chocolate....uh, Iosef. In village, brother always give me chocolate ration. He going to be conscript...no, no, now brother can't be conscript, can't serve union... *sniffs* Commissar: He is hero just as all who serve Mother Russia are. Get me some chocolate! Personal Aide: Yes sir! *leaves room.* Commissar: Now, Comrade #1, tell me about the village. What was it? A gas leak? Your village was not one of the ones assigned a gas plant to take care of. Comrade #1: Well .... it was nice day. Mother, father, sister, brother, all playing outside, singing. We get extra rations for helping village leader cut firewood for community hall. Then I see cloud, only shaped like Twinblade but different. I seen a Twinblade once, it was very noisy. This silent, like cloud ... but not. Commissar: *Jotting notes down* Go on. Comrade #1: So purple not-Twinblade comes down, starts shooting. It was loud, it hurt my ears. I run to get away from noise, louder than Former Premier when he "chews the scenery"! Then the street explodes in fire! Really big fire! And the fire.....it was not normal, nice fire. It.....it purple! And when it hits community well, that explodes even bigger! Commissar: *Looks around nervously* Yes, yes, you don't have to repeat what I said earlier about the Former Premier, an idle mind is dangerous after all, remember .... now, tell me about helicopter. No helicopter could so thoroughly devastate even a village the size of yours. Comrade #1: Okay! No, no, not-Twinblade high up in sky, high as clouds, but purple fires starting to be put out. Mother quick thinking. But then....it dives lower. Brother starts to fire with ADK-45, but bounces of not-Twinblade. Me see people crying, they scared, and then it-it ... burns them. Burns them up to nothing! *Begins crying* Commissar" Uhm ... there, there. Now, we'll get you two extra rations of chocolate, and then send you to Mother Lubovs to spend the night. They have nice girls willing to serve strong new Soviet Commissar's aide! Comrade #1: Stops crying. I-I be your new aide? Commissar: Why of course! I can always use an extra hand. Now, Comrade #1, I will end this soon, but tell me, why did the helicopter not kill you with the rest of your village? Comrade #1: It ran out of bullets. Commissar: *Stunned, silent* Comrade #1:....Can I go now? End Tape Recording Harpoon Suicide Fighter "I am going down ? You are coming with me" :- Harpoon Suicide Fighter Captains Log, USS McCarthy 09/12/1968 New orders issued from that royal pain in the ass, General Alexander. The McCarthy is to support and supply Swan Amphibious Plane patrols off the coast of Brazil. Apparently, three have been shoot down, by drug dealers. Command thinks that they may have hijacked several of the Colombian Navy's Hydrofoils. So the plan is that we use our Vindicator Squadron to lure them in while the Swan's let them have it from the safety of the McCarthy's wake. Just like Command to send my men on a suicide mission, after all, the modern surface combat ships have been diverted to escort duty in the Atlantic bringing tea and crumpets to the British. Sure the McCarthy is a Halcyon-class Aircraft Carrier, but they don't even have the resources to send a Destroyer. There must be at least three fleets worth in Corpus Christi rusting under the sun because some tree hugging jackass cannot stand the idea of burning a little coal so we could win the war with a few thousand less lifeless bodes. 09/13/1968 Rendezvous with the Swan Squadron went off without a hitch, thank god. Only four are left though. Apparently their Commander ordered the Squadron to return to base but they lost contact with one another when a storm came in last night. Rather than risking an ambush, the rest of the squadron touched down and meet up with the McCarthy. So, no idea if the rest made it back to base. Ordinance should finish resupplying our lovely dates within the hour. -Meet with the officers, they seem to be rather distracted. Must be the X.O., not many people that have seen an Navy Officer running around with sword these days. But apparently it's still government issue according the handbook, so I let him maintain the moral. Current location is roughly 956 kilometers Northeast of Georgetown, Guyana. Destination for the convoy is Port of Spain, Trinidad. Three days should be more than enough time, so long as the Soviet Wolf Packs stay out of our way. I swear, the last thing I need is some crazy self conscious Russian Captain bringing the entire Soviet Northern Fleet under my watch so he can defect with a state of the art secret submarine. 09/15/1968 Well, the shit has hit the fan alright. Major McCain's Apollo was brought down by what appears to be a flying terror-drone! It harpooned itself to his three 0'clock and dragged him into the ocean. Contacted Command and they ordered me to locate origin and neutralize hostiles. The Swans are apparently safe so long as they stay seaborne, so they are heading into port. The Venezuelans say that they have lost several unit's in the area and the Colombians sound deeply disturbed. Brazil has no idea what is going on, so the McCarthy alone on this one. Something is definitely wrong out here. 09/18/1968 Due to heavy losses we have sent for captain Bayard Fournier, in his achilles (newly installed with refracting beams) to investigate. To our surprise, it took only one short burst from his new plane to down nearly a dozen of these machines, and he is again given a pint to the face by apollo pilots, despite him having saved their lives. Shrapnel Bomber Initializing Directive: Purification. Criterion: Terrestrial organic combat platform concentrations. Criterion: Terrestrial organosynthetic combat platform concentrations. Criterion: Terrestrial synthetic combat platform concentrations. Criterion: Terrestrial cybernetic combat platform concentrations. Criterion: Low creation-to-engagement time. Processing Hypothesis: Tactical orbital bombardment. Reference: "Athena" orbital artillery. Reference: "Philadelphia" battle station proposal. Denial: Inefficient energy utilization. Denial: Unpredictable atmospheric interference. Denial: Orbital weapons vulnerable to organosynthetic orbital combat platforms. Reference: Organic super-cluster "Atomic Kingdom of China". Hypothesis: Airborne self-propogating disassembler nanite swarms. Reference: Aquatic nanocolonies. Reference: Corrupter support aircraft. Denial: Nanocolony architecture unsustainable in airborne configuration. Denial: Susceptibility to wind, negative weather conditions, aircraft wakes, "Sidewinder burrow tank" organosynthetic combat platforms exceeds recommended parameters. Hypothesis: Indirect artillery fire. Reference: "Piledriver seismic tank" organosynthetic combat platform, "Athena cannon" organosynthetic combat platform, "Mars artillery armor" cybernetic combat platform. Denial: Creation-to-engagement time exceeds recommended parameters. Denial: Maximum engagement range insufficient to meet recommended parameters. Hypothesis: Heavy air-to-surface engagement aircraft. "Bomber" designation. Recommendation: Fractal weapon module default configuration. Approval: Designated "Shrapnel Bomber". Warning: Additional offensive capability recommended for high-risk operations. Revision: Scythe wave projector. Function: Binary disassembly of organic, organosynthetic, synthetic, and cybernetic combat platforms. Approval: Scythe wave projector installed. Conclusion: "Shrapnel Bomber" type aircraft ready for immediate production at all combat command nodes. Terminating Suppressor Ground Attack Plane Network access in progress Network: Atomic Kingdom of China Defense Network Warning: Network encryption detected Decryption in progress Decryption completed File access: Incident Report #8739 Warning: file encryption detected Decryption in progress Decryption completed Access approved Incident Report #8739 Patrol set out from Outpost 570 on June 1, 08:00 hours Beijing. Patrol consisted of four Nian tanks, two Serpent tanks, one Rooster tank, and one Mobile Garrison. Patrol objective: search for survivors in the mountains. Anomalous radar contacts at 14:50. Two unidentified aircraft at low altitude and high speed. Additional anomalous radar contacts at 15:00. Three additional unidentified aircraft, similar profile to previous contacts. Anomalous radar contacts disappear from radar at 16:00. Remains of civilian village located at 18:15. Population estimated at 40 minimum, 60 maximum. All civilians dead. Patrol evaluates as probable air attack with high-velocity, high rate-of-fire weapons. Similarities observed between damage to village and damage by Japanese kinetic weaponry. Local command evaluates findings as probable Japanese air attack on civilian survivors. Anomalous radar contacts at 18:30. Similar profiles to previous contacts. Evaluated as Japanese aircraft, unknown type. Patrol requests permission to open fire on contacts. Permission granted. Local command evaluates contacts as probable village assailants. Anomalous radar contacts disappear as Rooster enters engagement range. Patrol attacked by unknown aerial attackers at 19:00. Attackers did not appear on radar or visual sensors. Patrol sends final received transmission at 19:10, requesting support. Reinforcement patrol, including four Rooster tanks, arrives at site of last known transmission from patrol at 23:02. Patrol destroyed, damage similar to reported damage to village. Reinforcement patrol encounters no radar contacts, returns to base at 06:00 the following morning. Incident Evaluation: Japanese combat evaluation of new ground attack aircraft with superior stealth technology. End of file. = Easily-Sunken Ships = Nanocolony "Qurish~" :- Nanocolony sounds on sonar From a German Science Channel: Winry Rockbell: "Good evening and welcome to 'Science Today', my name is Winry Rockbell and I am the host. With me are Prof. Dr. of Science, Edward Elric, and Dr. of Ecology, Alphonse Elric. First of, a personal question: Are you related in some way?" Edward Elric: "No, we only have the same family name. But we do work together." Alphonse Elric: "Indeed, we are almost like brothers. *laughs*" Winry: "Very well. Today's topic are bizarre silver alges blocking sea routes. Here we have a picture from the baltic sea, where the ANV Brahe is being attacked by what appears to be a kind of algae. Mister, uh, may I call you by your given name?" Alphonse: "Yes, else it would be confusing." Edward: "I am ok with that as well." Winry: "Alright, Mister Alphonse, what is your opinion of this incident?" Alphonse: "To be honest, I work since 30 years on different projects, but I have never seen a grey algae attacking a ship, and especially not like that. *points at another photo* Do you see this? It almost looks like those things shoot at the vessel." Winry: "Interesting. Mister Edward, what is your opinion?" Edward: "Hm. Winry, I see two possibilities about this photo. #1, it is a hoax, but I guess this is unlikely. #2, it is something I am studying for quite some time now. A friend of mine analyses imperial nanotechnology, you know, those microscopic things they use to heat food and make material from. My guess is, this is some kind of nanotechnology as well, but gone wrong. The term for this is 'grey goo'. Do you see this? *takes new photo* On this picture, a clump of the silver mass has attached itself onto the vessel, and seconds later the hull starts to rust away. I am quite sure, this is a new form of warfare." Winry: "How so?" Edward: "The so-called "Grey goo" is the uncontrolled replication of nano-technology. As we know it, most of the Empire of the Rising Sun's nanotechnology is controlled by 'queens' of some sort who monitor and control the nanites during production, then disassemble them afterward. Without them, nanotechnology runs the risk of replicating indefinitely." Winry: "That sounds awful. Mister Alphose, if that were true, what would be the consequences?" Alphonse: "The consequences would be horrible. Those colonies would attack probably everything around them to reproduce themselves, ships, animals, plants, etc. The water would be infested and become a deathtrap for pretty much anything in or on it. I trust the opinion of Edward fully, so we cannot take this incident easily." Winry: "I guess so. We have to alarm the Allied High Command in that case... We will take a short break and will be back after the advertisements." ... Twister AA Sub The journal of Captain Nomuri was discovered washed up on the shore of Antarctica by an Allied biologist studying the strangely diminishing seal population. Captain Nomuri had been listed as Missing In Action two weeks previously, along with his Naginata cruiser and a Masakari Drone Carrier assigned to a scientific investigation in Antarctic waters and all hands. The cause of their disappearance is still officially unknown, but his journal has rapidly made the rounds of Allied and Imperial intelligence services. April 8: The Shogunate has decided that the disruptions in the southern oceanic currents are worthy of investigation. Well, it's ''something to do with those barbarians now being our allies. Still unworthy of the Empire if you ask me.'' April 15: We have reached the edge of the disrupted zones. Preliminary analysis suggests abnormal shifts in the currents caused by repeated localized disruptions. Probability of artificial cause: high. April 18: We've been here for three days and haven't seen any sign of other vessels, much less any floating structures. Continuing search and analysis. April 19: Strange. It's starting to look like the localized disruptions may have been whirlpools, judging by the odd plankton distributions. No accounting for conditions in these latitudes, I guess. April 21: Lieutenant Ogasawara thinks we're chasing ghosts, and I'm inclined to agree. No sign of other vessels, no sign of spontaneous whirlpools, nothing. So the currents down here are weird. Hardly worthy of the Empire's attention. April 25: I checked Imperial and Allied records of these latitudes, and it strikes me that we should have seen a whale by now, or at least picked one up on sonar. The waters aren't barren at all. In fact, we've been detecting record levels of krill. April 26: The hydrophones picked up something unusual today. Toyama said it sounded like water running through a pipe, but it disappeared after a few minutes. Sent the Yari to investigate while we continue our survey. April 28: The Yari is late reporting in. Odd. Ogasawara is nothing if not prompt. April 29: Still no word from Lieutenant Ogasawara. When he gets back, I'll kill him myself. May 1: Declared the Yari officially missing, and we're plotting a course to Ogasawara's last known position. Science team still has nothing useful to report. May 5: Where did Ogasawara go? We've found no trace of him or the Yari. Radar says he picked up something odd on the edge of our range. Investigating. May 7: Saw something this evening. Big, silver aircraft of some sort. Looked like nothing I've ever seen. It disappeared before I got a camera up, and I was the only one on deck. Not telling the crew about this. They'll think I'm crazy. May 8: No trace of the radar contact, but I saw the silver thing again. What is it, I wonder? Definitely not Imperial, and doesn't look like anything the Allies or Soviets would make. Far too elegant for that. Picked up a bogey on radar again, we're taking a look. May 10: We've been down here nearly a month, still no clue what's causing the whirlpools or what happened to Lieutenant Ogasawara. Command says they're sending down a Masakari to offer drone support, since we're clearly getting nowhere. May 14: Another bogey on radar. Surface contact, small. Didn't find the last two, but maybe the third time's a charm. May 15: It's gone. It's almost like there's something down here, and it's toying with us. May 21: Changed course to avoid one of those silver algae. We're crossing back where we originally entered the disruption zone, and the odd thing is, it looks like more whirlpools have happened while we were gone. Is something here? Something hiding from us? May 26: The Masakari should be here tomorrow. More radar bogies, but I'm not chasing ghosts again. May 27: Emperor forgive me. The Masakari finally arrived, but the bogies didn't go away. They were ''submarines, silver and strange. And they... they unlimbered huge gatling cannons that shattered the sky and tore the Masakari apart. The strangest thing was, whirlpools formed around each submarine as it fired. We tried firing torpedoes, but they got pulled away into the maelstroms and couldn't hit the actual targets. The Masakari is gone. The submarines left, but I don't think we've escaped whatever is here.'' May 29: I saw the silver aircraft again. It's coming closer. (The journal ends here) Undertow Fractal Sub Inquisitor Haldane: Thank you for joining us, Shipwright Okamura. Have you reviewed the files to your satisfaction? Shipwright Okamura: It is my honor to be here, Inquisitor, but I have not had the time to study the reports as thoroughly as I would like. Inquisitor Haldane: Tell me what you can now. If there is a problem we are not aware of... Shipwright Okamura: I know. The files you gave me are a compilation of incident reports from Allied, Soviet, Imperial, and Syndicate forces about events in the South Atlantic and South Pacific. You're lucky I'm fluent in Italian, but I had assistance from Scribe Deirdre Winter in translating the Soviet reports. Inquisitor Haldane: Understood. What is your take? Shipwright Okamura: That something very strange is happening on or near Antarctica, and it has submarines, with weapons like nothing I've ever heard of, much less seen. Inquisitor Haldane: Not even during your Imperial education? Shipwright Okamura: Well, Imperial land forces used weapons that might possibly leave damage like this, but I'm not sure energy weapons would work well underwater, if at all. If anything, it sounds like those spiral torpedoes the American insurrectionists have started using, but these ships definitely don't belong to the American rebellion. Inquisitor Haldane: So you have nothing useful to tell us? Shipwright Okamura: I didn't say that. I can only guess how and why these weapons work, but I can describe their effects well enough. First, they inflict tremendous damage on even heavy armor and I have no reason to think Talon Steel will be especially resistant to it. Second, the energy seems to spread out and dissipate at range, so enemiess so armed should be engaged from as far away as possible - closing with an enemy equipped with one of these only puts you into their most effective range, and I think all Abbadon captains should be advised not to try ramming such foes. And finally, these ships only seem able to target submarines and aquatic structures with their weapons. The damage seems to spread outwards from the point of inception in a fractal pattern, but that's all I can reliably give you. Inquisitor Haldane: What about surface vessels? Would they be safe? Shipwright Okamura: I don't know, inquisitor. These ships don't look like anything I've ever seen, and they don't seem to play favorites with anything that gets near. These weapons are completely new to me, and as I said, I can only guess at how they work. Just because the submarines only target other submarines doesn't mean that the weapon might be viable on a surface unit. Then again, it might not. I just don't know. Inquisitor Haldane: Thank you, Shipwright. We will call on you again if and when we need more information on this matter. You are dismissed. Category:Lore